Amidst Constant Change, Largest Retailers Stay Ahead

STORES Magazine releases annual Top 100 List

June 28, 2018 11:14 AM Eastern Daylight Time

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Launching new strategies, augmenting the in-store experience and
reengineering both logistics and digital commerce capabilities helped
the largest U.S. retailers maintain their edge during the past year,
according to the annual Top 100 Retailers list released today by the
National Retail Federation’s STORES
Magazine and Kantar Consulting.

“Retail today is a blend of innovation and experience, and the nation’s
top retailers are showing the way,” STORES Media Editor Susan Reda said.
“Companies large and small are transforming their businesses in the
quest to satisfy shoppers who rewrite the rules of engagement faster
than light.”

The 10 largest retailers on the list remain the same as last year,
although the order has changed. Walmart remains the largest, followed by
Kroger. But Amazon has jumped to No. 3 from No. 7, with Costco slipping
from third place to fourth and The Home Depot dropping from fourth to
fifth. Walgreens Boots Alliance remains at No. 6, with CVS dropping to
seventh place from fifth. Unchanged are No. 8 Target, No. 9 Lowe’s and
No. 10 Albertsons.

“Walmart holds the coveted top spot in part because they never stop
innovating,” Reda said. “From risk-taking acquisitions to embracing
emerging technologies and spearheading initiatives that empower the
business to be a force for good, Walmart sets a high bar.”

Most of the companies showed sales growth last year, but Amazon
experienced the largest percentage growth as it expanded its online
presence into bricks-and-mortar retail with the acquisition of Whole
Foods Market and provided new services like grocery delivery and Prime
Wardrobe.

“We find ourselves at a point in U.S. retail evolution where key players
are moving from a more divided approach of ‘online’ versus
‘bricks-and-mortar’ strategies to those that cater to the more holistic
reality of shoppers and commerce,” said Kantar Consulting Senior Vice
President of Insights and Operations Sara Al-Tukhaim. “This will
continue to pave the way for exciting and innovative retail
partnerships, targeting growth both within and increasingly outside the
realm of retail.”

For in-depth analysis on retail power players and notable trends within
the nation’s largest retail companies, read the complete article on
NRF.com.

Rank ThisYear/LastYear

Store

2017 U.S.Sales

PercentageSalesGrowth 2017-2016

1/1

Walmart

$374.8 Billion

3.7

2/2

The Kroger Co.

$115.89 Billion

5.4

3/7

Amazon

$102.96 Billion

45.2

4/3

Costco

$93.08 Billion

8.5

5/4

The Home Depot

$91.91 Billion

6.3

6/6

Walgreens Boots Alliance

$82.75 Billion

4.3

7/5

CVS Health Corporation

$79.54 Billion

-1.5

8/8

Target

$71.88 Billion

3.4

9/9

Lowe’s Companies

$63.13 Billion

3.3

10/10

Albertsons Companies

$59.72 Billion

0.1

About the Survey

The STORES Top 100 Retailers are listed by U.S. sales, which may
include estimates for private or closely held companies. Retailers
included in the Top 100 either have group headquarters located in the
United States or are foreign entities with significant operations in the
U.S. market. For retailers with group headquarters located overseas,
data is presented for North American operations only. Revenues from
major non-retail operating segments are excluded where data availability
allows.

The National Retail Federation is the world’s largest retail trade
association. Based in Washington, D.C., NRF represents discount and
department stores, home goods and specialty stores, Main Street
merchants, grocers, wholesalers, chain restaurants and internet
retailers from the United States and more than 45 countries. Retail is
the nation’s largest private-sector employer, supporting one in four
U.S. jobs — 42 million working Americans. Contributing $2.6 trillion to
annual GDP, retail is a daily barometer for the nation’s economy.